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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 40 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
Special Topics
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Muscle Cars
| The 1964 Pontiac GTO is generally regarded as the car that kicked off the muscle car boom of the 1960's. What does GTO stand for? | 60s 70 Muscle Cars Part I
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Gran Turismo Omologato. Named after the Ferrari 250 GTO, Car and Driver even pitted the new Pontiac against the Ferrari in a 1964 issue. The Pontiac faired well...too well. It was later learned that 421 cid powered ringer GTO's were served up to the press to keep things even when competeing with the Italian exotic. Still a fine car with the correct 389. Gran turismo omologato is Italian for homologated for grand touring.
| Before 1970, no GM "A" body (Chevelle, Cutlass, LeMans, Skylark) could be factory equipped with any engine over 400 cubic inches. One manufacturer skirted the corporate ruling by contracting Hurst Performance Industries to install 455 cid engines in their "A" bodies in '68 and '69. What car was the result of this rule bending? | 60s 70 Muscle Cars Part I
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Hurst /Olds 442. In 1968, Oldsmobile had to do something to compete with the runaway success of Pontiac's GTO and Chevy's Chevelle. This was a clever way to beat them in the cubic inch department, if not in sales.
Very handsome cars!
| In 1969 any AMC dealer could order you a "Big Bad AMX".
What all was included in the Big Bad option? | 60s 70 Muscle Cars Part I
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Your choice, Big Bad Green, Orange, or Blue paint, to include the bumpers.. Just a paint option, but man are those colors loud!
All American Racers. The name of Dan Gurney's racing enterprise. Plymouth collaborated with Gurney/AAR in 1970 to race the AAR 'Cuda in the SCCA Trans Am series.
| Two 1966 Shelby 427 Cobras were specially equipped by Shelby himself. Chassis numbers CSX3303 & CSX3015. How are they different than a standard 427 Cobra? | 60s 70 Muscle Cars Part I
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Twin Paxton superchargers were installed.. Shelby kept one for himself. Comedian Bill Cosby got the other one. Cosby talks all about it on his record album "200 mph"
| In 1969, Pontiac introduced a new GTO called the "Judge". The Judge name was inspired by a skit from what TV show? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part II
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Laugh In. Apparently John DeLorean watched a lot of TV. Wonder what he would have called it if Hogans Hero's was his favorite show?
| Canonburg Pa. Chevy dealer, Don Yenko, is famous for the 427 Camaros, Chevelles, and Novas he sold nationwide. Each car has the letters "sYc" adhered to the head rests. What do those letters stand for? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part II
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Yenko Super Car. Early Yenko's were factory 396 cars with the motors yanked out and 427's dropped in at the dealership. By 1969, it was easier for the dealership just to order 427 Camaros from the factory through the COPO program, which they did. (COPO- Central Office Production Order, a GM program used to order fleet vehicles and illegal (GM corporate policy-wise) muscle cars.
| In wind tunnel tests it was determined that the 69 Dodge Daytona's and the 70 Plymouth Superbird's rear spoiler actually worked slightly better if lowered. Why did they keep it so tall? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part II
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To clear the trunk lid when it was opened. NASCAR rules then demanded that if you're going to race it, it has to be available to the public. In order for John Q.Public to use the trunk on his new Mopar, it had to be able to open fully. The tall spoiler obviously still worked good enough to win races.
| This 1969-70 Ford V8 was called the "Blue Crescent" by FoMoCo engineering, but is better known as "The Shotgun Hemi" or the "Semi-Hemi" among enthusiasts. What is the only FoMoCo car it was made publicly available in? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part II
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Boss 429 Mustang. Not a true hemi combustion head design, like Chrysler's, but close enough. The motor was designed for NASCAR racing use in the Torino Talladega and Cyclone, but installed in the Mustang chassis for the street by order of Ford's then new President, Bunkie Knudsen.
Scat Pack. Plymouth had "The Rapid Transit System".
They are all Mopar "High Impact" colors. By 1970 all 4 major Detroit car manufacturers had retina piercing colors to adorn your factory street rod with.
Mopar had the largest selection though.
Elephant. A name given because of its overall huge proportions.
To see one installed in any Chrysler vehicle leaves you wondering how they made it fit.
Z-28 Camaro. SCCA Trans Am racing rules required no more than 305 cid motors for any factory T/A racecar. The factory's street production variant had to displace no more than 305cid, also. Chevy made this motor only for the '67 '68 & '69 Z-28's to meet the homologation requirements of the time.
1973. Chargers stopped having flip-out lights in 1973, because Dodge now considered their muscle car a "family car."
GTX. Before the GTX, Plymouth was considered a bland car manufacturer. Then came the GTX. Some people might consider the Barracuda to be Plymouths first muscle car. But it was a pony car to compete with the Mustang until the late 60's when both became muscle cars.
425. Hemi engines were rated by Chrysler at 425 HP to keep insurance as low as possible, but the true rating was just over 500 HP! These were put in Chargers, Challengers, GTXs, Barracudas, and more!
Dodge Challenger. The Challenger was the Barracuda's Dodge twin. You can tell by the body shape and headlights.
1987. Didn't see that one coming did you! To be honest, neither did I. In 1979 Chrysler launched two new sport hatchbacks, the Dodge Charger 2.2, and the Plymouth TC3 based on the Omni and Horizon. These cars weren't hard to spot, it was a return to the sports car for Chrysler. (kind of)The original base Charger had 84 hp but in 1985 a turbocharged model was released with 146 horsepower. In 1987 both cars were discontinued, while the reign of the "real" American Dodge Charger ended in 1974, this was the official end to the model that kicked people in the behind and said, "Race me!" Thanks to swingdancr and allpar.com for the information.
1,718. Plymouth only made 1,718 340 four-speed Barracudas in 1973. Now they're a collector's item.
| What is the name of this hood where the air scoops stick out of the top through a hole? | Mopar Muscle Cars
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Shaker. The "Shaker" hood was a popular option in the 1970s. You probably see them most on Hemi Barracudas.
| What was the first year Dodge Chargers had the vertical split grill? | Mopar Muscle Cars
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1969. This year of Charger was used in the show "The Dukes of Hazzard".
| In 1969 you could order a Mustang Mach 1 from your favorite Ford dealership with a 428 SCJ motor. What does SCJ stand for? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part III
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Super Cobra Jet. Heavier connecting rods and forged pistons were just some of the major differences between the SCJ 428 and the CJ 428.
| If I were to beat a Porsche 911/SC in a local autocross with my 1967 stage IV optioned Yenko Stinger, what kind of Chevrolet would I be driving? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part III
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Corvair. The Corvair is not a Muscle car per se, but if Don Yenko re-engineered it and it devlops 240 hp in a 2500lb. car, it's pretty close.
| Introduced mid-decade, this second generation Chevrolet big block motor was designed to replace the antiquated 348 & 409 big blocks from previous years. What year did Chevrolet introduce this new big block engine, starting off at 396 cubic inches? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part III
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1965. 1965. The only year a Corvette was factory optioned with a 396.
If you wanted a big block 'Vette from '66 onward, you had only 427's and the later 454's to choose from.
| In 1967, you could order a Coronet R/T from your friendly Dodge dealer. It came standard with the 440 ci motor and the only other engine option was the venerable 426 Hemi. What does R/T stand for? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part III
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Road & Track. Nothing under a 440 or Hemi available in the early R/T Dodge's.
| In 1968, Dodge needed a quick response to Plymouth's popular Road Runner "stripper" muscle car. Dodge fired back with the mid-year introduction of the...? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part III
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Super Bee. The Super Bee sold fairly well, but with a six month lead, Plymouth had already captured the public's imagination with the Road Runner.
| If I raced a 1970 Yenko "Deuce" through the quarter mile in 12.98 seconds, what kind of Chevrolet would I be driving? | 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part III
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Nova. LT-1 350 powered Nova/ Chevy II, hence "Deuce".
| In 1970, Buick offered its potent Skylark GSX available with the Stage 1 455 cubic inch motor. Only 2 colors were offered by Buick for this car in 1970. What were they?
| 60s 70s Muscle Cars Part III
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Apollo White & Saturn Yellow. Other colors were available from 1971 on. This car is an animal with the Stage One 455 motor. Ask any Hemi owner.
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